"Elf-tranauts" from Hauora Tairāwhiti bring Christmas cheer to hospital patients. / Source - Hauora Tairāwhiti Facebook Page
While many families will be out and about on Christmas day - it won’t be the case for many patients around the country who are required to stay in hospital.
So staff at Hauora Tairāwhiti and Gisborne Hospital found a solution to bring Christmas to their patients by decking out the hospital with hundreds of decorations.
The displays are part of a competition involving 15 different wards and departments in a bid to make the best presentation to brighten up the lives of patients.
"Not only are Hauora Tairāwhiti staff some of the most caring people they are also some of the most creative," Hauora Tairāwhiti wrote on their Facebook page.
The theme was Outer Space Christmas and displays include constellations like Matariki.
“Many teams have worked long hours, mostly in their own time, to decorate their areas into stunning and spacey Christmas wonderlands.”
The overall winners of the Decoration Trophy was Planet Sunshine Ward 4. In second place was Te Puna Waiora Planning and Funding. Third place went to Orderlies.
Christmas decorations at Te Whare Awhiora - Ward 11 / Source - Facebook
There was also the People’s Choice sections where winners were decided by the public on a video posted to Facebook.
The video received more than 700 comments of people voting for their favourite display.
One Facebook user Marion Amelia Kiwikiwi wrote, “They all look amazing well done everyone. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. Beautiful and spectacular to see.”
Gloria Sheridan said, “OMG Ataahua!!! So hard to pick just one! KA MAU TE WEHI HAUORA TAIRAWHITI!!! I'm actually gonna bring my mokopuna up (4 yrs old) and she can decide.”
Alana Wells wrote, “Wow!!! It’s amazing to see all the effort that goes into uplifting our mauiui whanau at this time of the year!! My vote goes to ORDERLIES!!!”
But the winners of People’s Choice went to Ward 8 Surgical and Ward 5 Medical. An environmental award was also given to Clinical Records.
The areas entered were:
- Te Whare Awhiora Ward 11
- Clinical Records
- Radiology
- Outpatients
- Emergency Department
- Orderlies
- Planet Sunshine Ward 4
- Infant Child Adolescent Mental Health Services iCAMHS
- Surgical Ward 8
- Intensive Care Unit & Flight Team
- Medical Ward 5
- Rehabilitation Unit
- Well Child Services
- Medical Day Unit (thanks Cancer Society)
- Te Puna Waiora Planning and Funding